Murder Warrant: Before She Was Killed, Woman Reached Out For Help

NEW BRITAIN — Four days before Veronica Skinzera was found fatally stabbed in Darren Davis' apartment, she told another man that Davis had tried to assault her.

Davis tried to attack her in an elevator in the Spring Street apartment building where they lived, she told the ex-boyfriend, police said. A day before that, she told him Davis threatened to have someone kill her, the ex also said.

On Saturday, Davis was charged with her murder. He is in custody on $1 million bail with a court date of March 24.

According to a warrant for his arrest, Davis' DNA was found on a bloody knife handle and other items found in a Dumpster near the apartment. Police had received four reports of domestic clashes involving the two, the document says.

Before Skinzera was found dead on Jan. 27, she told her ex-boyfriend, David Ladd, about her problems with Davis, the warrant says. She told him that Davis threw out her hairdressing tools and clothes, he told police.

The last time Ladd talked to her was Jan. 23, when she asked to stay with Ladd.

"Veronica continued to text him saying Darren tried to assault her in the elevator at 85 Spring Street and that Veronica asked Ladd to stay with him," the warrant states.

But Ladd couldn't let her stay because he was in a sober house, he told police.

Police caught up with Davis after he showed up in Thomaston asking for information about a soup kitchen and homeless shelter. A police officer drove him to a shelter in Waterbury.

When New Britain detectives asked him why he is in a homeless shelter if he has an apartment, he said he left because he and his "friend" had an argument, police said.

He denied assaulting her and when the questioning continued, he asked for an attorney.